Surrounding vehicle display method and surrounding vehicle display device

ABSTRACT

A surrounding vehicle display device includes: a surrounding information detection device that obtains information on surroundings of a host vehicle; and a vehicle speed sensor that detects a vehicle speed of the host vehicle. The surrounding vehicle display device includes a controller that uses the information obtained by the surrounding information detection device to generate a virtual image that indicates the surroundings of the host vehicle as being viewed from above the host vehicle and a display displays the virtual image. The controller makes a display region of at least a rear region around the host vehicle on the virtual image wide when the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor is higher than a low vehicle speed.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a surrounding vehicle display methodand a surrounding vehicle display device.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, there is known a method of displaying an image of a hostvehicle and the surroundings of the host vehicle as being viewed from avirtual viewpoint (Patent Literature 1). The invention according toPatent Literature 1 sets a position and a direction of the virtualviewpoint to widen a front region around the host vehicle as a vehiclespeed of the host vehicle increases, and generates a display image basedon the set position and direction of the virtual viewpoint.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No.2012-195793

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

The invention according to Patent Literature 1 considers widening thefront region around the host vehicle as the vehicle speed of the hostvehicle increases. However, the invention according to Patent Literature1 does not consider widening right and left regions and a rear regionaround the host vehicle as the vehicle speed of the host vehicleincreases. For this reason, in the invention according to PatentLiterature 1, in a case where the vehicle speed of the host vehicle isincreased, it is more difficult for an occupant to grasp anothervehicle, a bike, a bicycle, a pedestrian, and the like in a wider areaof the right and left regions and the rear region around the hostvehicle than a case where the vehicle speed of the host vehicle is low.

The present invention is made in light of the above-mentioned problem,and the object is to provide a surrounding vehicle display method and asurrounding vehicle display device that allow an occupant to graspanother vehicle, a bike, a bicycle, a pedestrian, and the like in awider region around a host vehicle when a vehicle speed of the hostvehicle is higher than a low vehicle speed.

Solution to Problem

A surrounding vehicle display method according to an aspect of thepresent invention obtains information on the surroundings of a hostvehicle and detects a vehicle speed of the host vehicle. The surroundingvehicle display method uses the obtained information on the surroundingsof the host vehicle to generate a virtual image that indicates thesurroundings of the host vehicle as being viewed from above the hostvehicle. The surrounding vehicle display method makes a display regionof at least a rear region around the host vehicle on the virtual imagewide when the detected vehicle speed is higher than a low vehicle speed.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, an occupant can grasp anothervehicle, a bike, a bicycle, a pedestrian, and the like in a wider regionaround a host vehicle when a vehicle speed of the host vehicle is higherthan a low vehicle speed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a surrounding vehicle displaydevice according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for describing an example of a display region of avirtual image according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for describing an operation example of thesurrounding vehicle display device according to the embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing another example of a display regionof a virtual image according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention are described withreference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same parts are indicatedby the same reference signs and descriptions thereof are omitted.

(Configuration of Surrounding Vehicle Display Device)

A configuration of a surrounding vehicle display device according tothis embodiment is described with reference to FIG. 1. The surroundingvehicle display device includes a host vehicle location estimationdevice 1, a map obtainment device 2, a surrounding information detectiondevice 3, a vehicle speed sensor 4, a controller 10, various actuators 6to 8, and a display 9. Although the surrounding vehicle display deviceis described as a device used in an automated driving vehicle with anautomated driving function in this embodiment, the surrounding vehicledisplay device may also be applied to a vehicle with no automateddriving function.

The host vehicle location estimation device 1 includes a locationdetection sensor for measuring an absolute location of the host vehiclesuch as a GPS (global positioning system) or an odometry mounted in thehost vehicle. The host vehicle location estimation device 1 uses thelocation detection sensor to measure the absolute location of the hostvehicle, that is, a location and orientation of the host vehicle withrespect to a predetermined reference point. The host vehicle locationestimation device 1 outputs the measured location information of thehost vehicle to the controller 10.

The map obtainment device 2 obtains map information indicating aconfiguration of a road where the host vehicle travels. The mapinformation obtained by the map obtainment device 2 includes informationon the road configuration such as absolute locations of traffic lanesand connection relationships and relative location relationships betweenthe traffic lanes. The map obtainment device 2 may have a map databasestoring the map information or may obtain the map information from anexternal map data server by cloud computing. Additionally, the mapobtainment device 2 may obtain the map information throughvehicle-to-vehicle communication and road-to-vehicle communication. Themap obtainment device 2 outputs the obtained map information to thecontroller 10.

The surrounding information detection device 3 (information sensor)includes multiple different types of object detection sensors mounted inthe host vehicle. The object detection sensors are, for example, a laserrange finder, laser radar, millimeter-wave radar, camera, and so on. Thesurrounding information detection device 3 uses these object detectionsensors to detect an object around the host vehicle. The surroundinginformation detection device 3 detects a moving object including anothervehicle, a bike, a bicycle, and a pedestrian and a motionless objectincluding a parking vehicle. For example, the surrounding informationdetection device 3 detects a location, orientation (yaw angle), size,speed, acceleration, jerk, deceleration, and yaw rate of the movingobject and the motionless object with respect to the host vehicle.Additionally, the surrounding information detection device 3 detects alane marking, traffic light, sign, and the like around the host vehicle.Moreover, the surrounding information detection device 3 may obtain thesurrounding information through the vehicle-to-vehicle communication andthe road-to-vehicle communication. The surrounding information detectiondevice 3 outputs the detected information to the controller 10.

The vehicle speed sensor 4 detects a vehicle speed of the host vehicle.The vehicle speed sensor 4 outputs the detected vehicle speed of thehost vehicle to the controller 10.

The controller 10 obtains the information from the host vehicle locationestimation device 1, the map obtainment device 2, the surroundinginformation detection device 3, and the vehicle speed sensor 4. Thecontroller 10 uses the obtained information to perform travellingcontrol of the host vehicle automatically and generate a virtual imageindicating another vehicle, a bike, a bicycle, a pedestrian, and thelike around the host vehicle.

The controller 10 is a general-purpose microcomputer including a CPU(central processing unit), memory, and input-output unit. Themicrocomputer is installed with a computer program for functioning themicrocomputer as an automatic traveling control device and a surroundingvehicle display device. The microcomputer executes the computer programto function as multiple information processing circuits included in theautomatic traveling control device and the surrounding vehicle displaydevice. Note that, although there is shown an example of implementingthe multiple information processing circuits included in the automatictraveling control device and the surrounding vehicle display device bysoftware herein, needless to say, it is also possible to implement theinformation processing circuits by preparing dedicated hardware forexecuting the following information processing. Additionally, themultiple information processing circuits may be formed of individualpieces of hardware.

The controller 10 includes a route generation unit 11, a vehicle controlunit 12, a viewpoint position calculation unit 13, and a virtual imagegeneration unit 14 as the multiple information processing circuits.

The route generation unit 11 generates a route to a destination that isset in advance by an occupant of the host vehicle. The route generationunit 11 outputs the generated route to the vehicle control unit 12.

The vehicle control unit 12 controls a steering actuator 6, anaccelerator pedal actuator 7, a brake actuator 8, and the like using theinformation on the surroundings of the host vehicle to allow the hostvehicle to automatically travel along the route obtained from the routegeneration unit 11.

The viewpoint position calculation unit 13 calculates a position and adirection of a virtual viewpoint. The virtual viewpoint is a viewpointto look down the host vehicle from behind and above. Although theposition of the virtual viewpoint is described as a position set on acentral axis with respect to a vehicle-width direction of the hostvehicle, the position of the virtual viewpoint is not limited thereto.The direction of the virtual viewpoint is an angle between a directionof a line of vision to look down the host vehicle from the position ofthe virtual viewpoint and a horizontal plane of the position of thevirtual viewpoint. The viewpoint position calculation unit 13 outputsthe calculated virtual viewpoint to the virtual image generation unit14.

The virtual image generation unit 14 uses the information detected bythe surrounding information detection device 3 and the like and thevirtual viewpoint calculated by the viewpoint position calculation unit13 to generate a virtual image so as to make an image of looking downfrom the virtual viewpoint. In other words, the virtual image generationunit 14 generates a virtual image that indicates the surroundings of thehost vehicle as being viewed from above the host vehicle. The virtualimage generation unit 14 outputs the generated virtual image to thedisplay 9.

The display 9 is a device that is disposed close to a driver seat on aninstrument panel to indicate to the occupant various kinds ofinformation. The display 9 is, for example, formed of a liquid crystalpanel and displays images of a speedometer, tachometer, and so on.Additionally, the display 9 displays the virtual image generated by thevirtual image generation unit 14. Note that, the display 9 may include ahead-up display that uses a window glass of the host vehicle (forexample, windshield) as a display screen.

(Operation Example of Surrounding Vehicle Display Device)

Next, an operation example of the surrounding vehicle display device isdescribed with reference to FIG. 2.

The viewpoint position calculation unit 13 calculates the position andthe direction of the virtual viewpoint according to the vehicle speed ofa host vehicle 20. As shown in FIG. 2, when the host vehicle 20 isautomatically traveling at a low speed, the viewpoint positioncalculation unit 13 calculates a position P1 and the direction of thevirtual viewpoint to make the virtual viewpoint relatively close to thehost vehicle 20. On the other hand, when the host vehicle 20 isautomatically traveling at a high speed, the viewpoint positioncalculation unit 13 calculates a position P2 and the direction of thevirtual viewpoint to make the virtual viewpoint relatively far from thehost vehicle 20.

When the host vehicle 20 is automatically traveling at a low speed, thevirtual image generation unit 14 generates a virtual image 30 so as tomake an image of looking down from the position P1 of the virtualviewpoint. As shown in FIG. 2, a display region of the virtual image 30includes a region 20 m away from the host vehicle 20 in a travelingdirection and a region 10 m away from the host vehicle 20 in an oppositedirection of the traveling direction.

Additionally, when the host vehicle 20 is automatically traveling at ahigh speed, the virtual image generation unit 14 generates a virtualimage 31 so as to make an image of looking down from the position P2 ofthe virtual viewpoint. As shown in FIG. 2, a display region of thevirtual image 31 includes a region 100 m away from the host vehicle 20in the traveling direction and a region 70 m away from the host vehicle20 in the opposite direction of the traveling direction.

As shown by the virtual image 30 and the virtual image 31, when thevehicle speed of the host vehicle 20 is higher than a low vehicle speed,the display region of the virtual image 31 becomes wider than thedisplay region of the virtual image 30 in a front region and a rearregion around the host vehicle 20.

That is, when the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 20 is higher than alow vehicle speed, the viewpoint position calculation unit 13 changesthe position of the virtual viewpoint from the position P1 to theposition P2 to make the virtual viewpoint farther from the host vehicle20 and additionally changes the direction of the virtual viewpoint.

As described above, when the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 20 ishigher than a low vehicle speed, with the surrounding vehicle displaydevice widening the display region of the virtual image, the occupantcan grasp another vehicle, a bike, a bicycle, a pedestrian, and the likein a wide region around the host vehicle 20.

The scenes where the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 20 is a highspeed may include a scene where the host vehicle 20 performs trafficlane change, for example. When the host vehicle 20 performs traffic lanechange, it can be thought that the occupant wants to check anothervehicle, a bike, a bicycle, a pedestrian, and the like in a wide areaaround the host vehicle 20. Specifically, it can be thought that theoccupant wants to check whether there is a following vehicle comingclose from behind on a traffic lane next to the traffic lane where thehost vehicle 20 is traveling (a traffic lane to which the host vehicle20 moves). Thus, in this embodiment, when the vehicle speed of the hostvehicle 20 is higher than a low vehicle speed, the surrounding vehicledisplay device widens the display region of the virtual image of thefront region and the rear region around the host vehicle 20 and displaysthe widened display region of the virtual image on the display 9. Thisallows the occupant to grasp another vehicle, a bike, a bicycle, apedestrian, and the like behind the host vehicle 20 in a wide area andfeel safe about the automated driving.

Note that, although the viewpoint position calculation unit 13calculates both the position and direction of the virtual viewpoint inthe operation example shown in FIG. 2, it is not limited thereto. It issufficient that the viewpoint position calculation unit 13 calculates atleast either of the position and the direction of the virtual viewpoint.For example, if the viewpoint position calculation unit 13 sets theposition of the virtual viewpoint to a position far from the hostvehicle 20, the front region and the rear region around the host vehicle20 on the virtual image are widened. Additionally, the viewpointposition calculation unit 13 can set the direction of the virtualviewpoint so as to widen the front region and the rear region around thehost vehicle 20 on the virtual image. Moreover, the viewpoint positioncalculation unit 13 may change an angle of view and a focal length ofthe virtual viewpoint. That is, with the viewpoint position calculationunit 13 changing at least one of the features of the virtual viewpointincluding the position, direction, angle of view, and focal length, thesurrounding vehicle display device can widen the display region of thevirtual image.

Next, an operation example of the surrounding vehicle display device isdescribed with reference to a flowchart in FIG. 3.

In step S101, the map obtainment device 2 and the surroundinginformation detection device 3 detect the information on thesurroundings of the host vehicle 20. For example, the map obtainmentdevice 2 detects a configuration of the road where the host vehicle 20travels. The surrounding information detection device 3 detects anothervehicle, a lane marking, and the like around the host vehicle 20.Thereafter, the processing proceeds to step S102.

In step S102, the vehicle speed sensor 4 detects the vehicle speed ofthe host vehicle 20. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S103.

In step S103, the viewpoint position calculation unit 13 calculates theposition and the direction of the virtual viewpoint according to thevehicle speed of the host vehicle 20 detected in step S102. As shown inFIG. 2, when the host vehicle 20 is automatically traveling at a lowspeed, the viewpoint position calculation unit 13 calculates theposition P1 and the direction of the virtual viewpoint to make thevirtual viewpoint relatively close to the host vehicle 20. On the otherhand, when the host vehicle 20 is automatically traveling at a highspeed, the viewpoint position calculation unit 13 calculates theposition P2 and the direction of the virtual viewpoint to make thevirtual viewpoint relatively far from the host vehicle 20. Thereafter,the process proceeds to step S104.

In step S104, the virtual image generation unit 14 uses the informationdetected in step S101 and the position and the direction of the virtualviewpoint calculated in step S102 to generate the virtual images 30, 31so as to make images of looking down from the virtual viewpoint.Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S105. In step S105, the display9 displays the virtual images 30, 31 generated in step S104.

(Operations and Effects)

As described above, according to the surrounding vehicle display deviceof this embodiment, it is possible to achieve the following operationsand effects.

The surrounding vehicle display device obtains the information on thesurroundings of the host vehicle 20 and detects the vehicle speed of thehost vehicle 20. The virtual image generation unit 14 uses theinformation on the surroundings of the host vehicle 20 obtained by thesurrounding information detection device 3 and the like and the virtualviewpoint calculated by the viewpoint position calculation unit 13 togenerate the virtual image indicating the surroundings of the hostvehicle 20 being looked down from the above virtual viewpoint. When thedetected vehicle speed is higher than a low vehicle speed, thesurrounding vehicle display device widens the display region of thesurroundings of the host vehicle 20 on the virtual image and displaysthe virtual image on the display 9. This allows the occupant to graspanother vehicle, a bike, a bicycle, a pedestrian, and the like in a wideregion around the host vehicle 20.

Additionally, the surrounding vehicle display device widens the displayregion of the virtual image of the front region and the rear regionaround the host vehicle 20, that is, the display region of the virtualimage in a front and rear direction of the host vehicle 20. This allowsthe occupant to grasp another vehicle, a bike, a bicycle, a pedestrian,and the like in a wide region in the front region and the rear regionaround the host vehicle 20.

Additionally, the surrounding vehicle display device widens the displayregion of the surroundings of the host vehicle 20 on the virtual imageby changing at least one of the features of the virtual viewpointincluding the position, direction, angle of view, and focal length. Thisallows the occupant to grasp another vehicle, a bike, a bicycle, apedestrian, and the like in a wide region around the host vehicle 20.

The information on the surroundings of the host vehicle 20 isinformation on the moving object including at least another vehicle, abike, a bicycle, and a pedestrian and the motionless object at leastincluding a parking vehicle. Since the information is what the occupantwants to know, the surrounding vehicle display device can meet the needof the occupant by displaying the information on the virtual image.

Additionally, the surrounding vehicle display device according to thisembodiment is used in an automated driving vehicle that performstraveling control automatically. This allows the occupant to graspanother vehicle, a bike, a bicycle, a pedestrian, and the like in a wideregion around the host vehicle 20. Consequently, the occupant can feelsafe about the automated driving.

Other Embodiments

Although the embodiment of the present invention is described above, thedescriptions and the drawings as a part of the present disclosure shouldnot be construed to limit the present invention. According to thepresent disclosure, various alternative embodiments, examples, andoperational techniques will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

For example, the surrounding vehicle display device may change at leasteither of the position and the direction of the virtual viewpoint tomake the display region of the virtual image wider as the vehicle speedof the host vehicle 20 becomes higher. With this linear widening of thedisplay region of the virtual image according to the vehicle speed ofthe host vehicle 20, the display region of the virtual image isgradually widened. That is, since the display region of the virtualimage is not suddenly widened, the occupant can naturally grasp thechange of the display region of the virtual image and can feel safeabout the automated driving.

Additionally, the surrounding vehicle display device may change at leasteither of the position and the direction of the virtual viewpoint towiden the display region of the virtual image when the vehicle speed ofthe host vehicle 20 becomes higher than a predetermined speed. Thisallows the occupant to easily grasp the change of the display region ofthe virtual image since the display region of the virtual image ischanged based on the predetermined speed. Note that, the predeterminedspeed is stored in the controller 10 in advance. Only one speed ormultiple different speeds may be stored as the predetermined speed. Forexample, the multiple and different predetermined speeds may be set asdiscrete speeds at every 10 km/h. Since this allows the display regionof the virtual image to be gradually changed according to the speed, theoccupant can easily grasp the change of the display region of thevirtual image.

Additionally, the surrounding vehicle display device may make thedisplay region of the virtual image wider as the predetermined speedstored in the controller 10 is higher. That is, when the vehicle speedof the host vehicle 20 becomes higher than the predetermined speed setto a high speed, the surrounding vehicle display device makes thedisplay region of the virtual image wider than a case where the vehiclespeed of the host vehicle 20 becomes higher than the predetermined speedset to a low speed. This allows the occupant to easily grasp the changeof the display region of the virtual image and also grasp anothervehicle, a bike, a bicycle, a pedestrian, and the like in a wide regionaround the host vehicle 20.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, when the host vehicle 20 isautomatically traveling at a low speed, the display region of thevirtual image 30 includes the region 20 m away from the host vehicle 20in the traveling direction and the region 10 m away from the hostvehicle 20 in the opposite direction of the traveling direction. On theother hand, when the host vehicle 20 is automatically traveling at ahigh speed, the display region of the virtual image 31 includes theregion 100 m away from the host vehicle 20 in the traveling directionand the region 70 m away from the host vehicle 20 in the oppositedirection of the traveling direction. Although these distances are notlimited, it is preferred to make an increase rate for widening the rearregion around the host vehicle 20 greater than an increase rate forwidening the front region around the host vehicle 20. For example, usingFIG. 2 to give descriptions, the increase rate for widening the rearregion around the host vehicle 20 is seven times (from 10 m to 70 m),while the increase rate for widening the front region around the hostvehicle 20 is five times (from 20 m to 100 m). Like this, it ispreferred to make the increase rate (seven times) for widening the rearregion around the host vehicle 20 greater than the increase rate (fivetimes) for widening the front region around the host vehicle 20. Thismakes it possible to satisfy the need of the occupant to check anothervehicle, a bike, a bicycle, a pedestrian, and the like in the rearregion around the host vehicle 20.

Additionally, as shown in FIG. 2, when the vehicle speed of the hostvehicle 20 is a low speed, it is preferred to make the rear regionaround the host vehicle 20 on the virtual image 30 (10 m) smaller thanthe front region around the host vehicle 20 on the virtual image 30 (20m). This is because, if the rear region around the host vehicle 20 iswider when the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 20 is a low speed, thehost vehicle 20 and another vehicle behind the host vehicle 20 may beoverlapped with each other on the virtual image 30. When the hostvehicle 20 and the other vehicle overlap with each other like this case,it is impossible to recognize at a glance that which one of theoverlapping vehicles is the host vehicle 20. Otherwise, the host vehicle20 may be hidden by the other vehicle. For this reason, when the vehiclespeed of the host vehicle 20 is a low speed, the surrounding vehicledisplay device makes the rear region around the host vehicle 20 on thevirtual image smaller than the front region around the host vehicle 20on the virtual image. This allows the surrounding vehicle display deviceto prevent the overlapping of the host vehicle 20 and the other vehicleon the virtual image 30. Note that, a specific speed of the low speedmay be set properly based on a traffic environment and may be stored asa second predetermined speed different from the abovementionedpredetermined speed in the controller 10 in advance.

Although enlargement of the display region in the traveling direction ofthe host vehicle 20 and the display region in the opposite direction ofthe traveling direction is described in this embodiment as shown in FIG.2, it is not limited thereto. For example, in addition to the front andrear direction of the host vehicle 20, the surrounding vehicle displaydevice may widen the display region in the vehicle-width direction ofthe host vehicle.

Like a virtual image 32 shown in FIG. 4, when the vehicle speed ishigher than a low vehicle speed, the surrounding vehicle display devicemay widen the display region not only in the front and rear direction ofthe host vehicle but also in the vehicle-width direction of the hostvehicle 20. Comparing with the virtual image 31 shown in FIG. 2, thevirtual image 32 displays another vehicle, a bike, and the like on threetraffic lanes. This allows the occupant to grasp another vehicle, abike, a bicycle, a pedestrian, and the like in a wide region around thehost vehicle 20 and feel safe about the automated driving.

Additionally, the surrounding vehicle display device may widen the frontregion and the rear region around the host vehicle 20 on the virtualimage when a vehicle speed of another vehicle traveling on the nexttraffic lane is higher than the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 20.

Note that, display areas of the virtual image 30 and the virtual image31 on the display 9 may be either the same or different. For example,the surrounding vehicle display device may make the display area of thevirtual image 31 greater than the display area of the virtual image 30on the display 9. With the surrounding vehicle display device increasingthe display area of the virtual image on the display 9 when the vehiclespeed of the host vehicle 20 is higher than a low vehicle speed, theoccupant can grasp another vehicle, a bike, a bicycle, a pedestrian, andthe like in a wide region around the host vehicle 20 on a much largervirtual image.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

-   1 host vehicle location estimation device-   2 map obtainment device-   3 surrounding information detection device-   4 vehicle speed sensor-   9 display-   10 controller-   12 vehicle control unit-   13 viewpoint position calculation unit-   14 virtual image generation unit

The invention claimed is:
 1. A surrounding vehicle display method,comprising: obtaining information on surroundings of a host vehicle;detecting a vehicle speed of the host vehicle; using the obtainedinformation on the surroundings of the host vehicle to generate avirtual image that indicates the host vehicle and the surroundings ofthe host vehicle as being viewed from above the host vehicle; making adisplay region of a front region and a rear region around the hostvehicle on the virtual image wide in response to determining that thedetected vehicle speed is higher than a low vehicle speed; anddisplaying the virtual image on a display, wherein an increase rate forwidening the rear region is greater than an increase rate for wideningthe front region, setting a position of a virtual viewpoint looking downthe host vehicle from behind and above to a first position when thedetected vehicle speed is less than or equal to the low vehicle speed,and in response to determining that the detected vehicle speed is higherthan the low vehicle speed, making the display region of the frontregion and the rear region around the host vehicle on the virtual imagewide, by setting the position of the virtual viewpoint to a secondposition higher than the first position in a vertical direction.
 2. Thesurrounding vehicle display method according to claim 1, wherein, thedisplay region of at least the rear region around the host vehicle onthe virtual image is made wider as the vehicle speed becomes higher. 3.The surrounding vehicle display method according to claim 1, wherein,the display region of at least the rear region around the host vehicleon the virtual image is made wider in response to determining that thedetected vehicle speed becomes higher than at least one predeterminedspeed.
 4. The surrounding vehicle display method according to claim 3,wherein, the display region of at least the rear region around the hostvehicle on the virtual image is made wider as the predetermined speed ishigher.
 5. The surrounding vehicle display method according to claim 1,wherein, the rear region around the host vehicle on the virtual image issmaller than the front region around the host vehicle on the virtualimage when the detected vehicle speed is lower than a secondpredetermined speed.
 6. The surrounding vehicle display method accordingto claim 1, wherein a feature of an above virtual viewpoint is changedto make the display region of at least the rear region around the hostvehicle on the virtual image wide.
 7. The surrounding vehicle displaymethod according to claim 1, wherein the information on the surroundingsof the host vehicle is information on a moving object including at leastanother vehicle, a bike, a bicycle, and a pedestrian and a motionlessobject including at least a parking vehicle.
 8. The surrounding vehicledisplay method according to claim 1, wherein the surrounding vehicledisplay method is used in an automated driving vehicle that performstravelling control of the host vehicle automatically.
 9. The surroundingvehicle display method according to claim 1, wherein setting a positionof a virtual viewpoint looking down the host vehicle from behind andabove to a first height, and an angle to a first acute angle when thedetected vehicle speed is less than or equal to the low vehicle speed,in which the angle is formed between a direction of a line of visionlooking down the host vehicle from the position of the virtual viewpoint and a horizontal plane, and in response to determining that thedetected vehicle speed is higher than the low vehicle speed, making thedisplay region of the front region and the rear region around the hostvehicle on the virtual image wide, by setting the position of thevirtual viewpoint to a second height higher than the first height in avertical direction, and the angle to a second acute angle greater thanthe first acute angle.
 10. The surrounding vehicle display methodaccording to claim 1, wherein, the display region of at least the rearregion around the host vehicle on the virtual image is made wider in alinear fashion as the vehicle speed becomes higher.
 11. A surroundingvehicle display device, comprising: an information sensor that obtainsinformation on surroundings of a host vehicle; a vehicle speed sensorthat detects a vehicle speed of the host vehicle; a controller that usesthe information obtained by the information sensor to generate a virtualimage that indicates the host vehicle and the surroundings of the hostvehicle as being viewed from above the host vehicle; and a display thatdisplays the virtual image, wherein the controller makes a displayregion of a front region and a rear region around the host vehicle onthe virtual image wide in response to determining that the detectedvehicle speed is higher than a low vehicle speed, and an increase ratefor widening the rear region is greater than an increase rate forwidening the front region, the controller sets a position of a virtualviewpoint looking down the host vehicle from behind and above to a firstposition when the detected vehicle speed is less than or equal to thelow vehicle speed, and in response to determining that the detectedvehicle speed is higher than the low vehicle speed, the controller makesthe display region of the front region and the rear region around thehost vehicle on the virtual image wide, by setting the position of thevirtual viewpoint to a second position higher than the first position ina vertical direction.